A number of games are known in which each player has a piece representing a truck that is moved along a path by amounts determined at random by the throw of a die or by spinning a pointer, but for one reason or another they fail to accurately simulate the commercial trucking industry. By way of example, consider the games described in the following patents.
Hatcher, U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,917 describes a game in which pieces representing trucks are moved a number of points on interstate routes determined by the roll of dice. Symbols at each point indicate a stack of cards from which a player is to draw when the piece lands on it. The cards on each stack are for different types of rewards or penalties. No money is required for the purchase of the truck and there are no home bases as in real life. Players draw cards indicating the point of pickup, the point of delivery and the money to be paid for hauling the load from one point to the other so that there is no deadhead unpaid mileage as there is in real life.
Boofer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,579 describes a game in which pieces move along fixed paths between terminals at the eastern part of the USA and terminals at the west, so that the map of the U.S.A. is incidental and could be any area or no area at all. As in other such games, there are points along the routes at which rewards and penalties occur. All moneys paid as a result of certain penalties are placed in a "coffee kitty" and go to a player whose piece lands on Reno or Las Vegas.
The following U.S. patents are for games like that of Boofer in which the pieces move along arbitrary paths having no reference to any particular area: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,656,757; 4,426,084; 4,643,430; 4,932,666; 4,953,872 and 5,002,283.
Dvorak, U.S. Patent No. 4,679,798 describes a game in which selected cities of the U.S.A. are interconnected by straight lines and first playing pieces are loaded with second playing pieces having an indicia of destination and are carried to that destination by numbers of moves determined by chance.
Russell, U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,837 describes a game played with the aid of programmed electronic controller and electronic means for displaying a map with indications of travel routes that are not shown as roads. A player can pick the starting and destination locations for his playing piece or they can be selected at random. In each turn, a player receives a reward for correctly answering a question or a penalty for an incorrect answer
Brooks, U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,591 uses a map having a path with some bypasses extending around the periphery of the U.S.A. All player pieces start from their respective bases and make several round trips with movements determined with the aid of simulated radio contacts.
Wendel, U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,735 is a game in which players start at opposite ends of a highway and proceed to the other's starting point with the numbers of miles or markers to be moved in each turn determined by chance. Simulated radio communications are used to obtain information as to obstacles from the other player. The first to reach the other's starting point wins.
Kemp, U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,887 is a game simulating traffic conditions in which pieces are moved from a preselected corner to an opposing corner so as to pass through intersections.
A Milton Bradley game called "Game of the States" and briefly described in an enclosed advertisement involves moving a piece from a state determined by drawing a card for a state having opponent's products. The products are purchased at a price determined by a spinner and hauled to a destination determined by a drawn card and sold for an amount determined by a spinner.